Brian Coleman & Mark Shooter - The big love in

Friends within the Labour group were rather amused at last nights scrutiny committee meeting. This meeting saw the young challenger for the Barnet leadership up against Lynne Hillans behemoth, Councillor Brian Coleman. Councillor Mark Shooter is the deputy chair of the committee. Brian Coleman had to discuss various aspects within his remit. As Shooter arrived, Coleman affixed him with an ice cold stare (no surprise there). When it actually came to Shooter questioning Coleman, what would happen? Would we get a repeat of the GLA "Odious toad" incident? Strangely no.

Councillor Shooter started by saying that he didn't think spy cameras and huge fines (as proposed in Colemans report) were the way forward for parking policy. What would Brian say? Well rather strangley "Oh yes Mawk, I completely agwee with you". This was accompanied with doe eyes and a loving grin.  What about recycling? Shooter is rather keen on the scheme pioneered by Maidenhead, where you get a chip in your bin & M&S vouchers if you don't put much rubbish in (a most uncolemanly idea). "Oh Mawk, that is a simply wonderful idea, I'll get on the case stwaight away" Coleman chimed.

My Labour party friend wondered whether Shooter had said "Now Brian, take this large needle and stab yourself in the eye" Coleman would have said "Oh, yes Mawk, I'll do one eye for you and one for luck". It was probably the most incredible display of sycophancy seen for many a year in the Council chamber. Given the fact that Coleman has been in a dark mood of late, what could possibly have cheered him up? Why could the man who was saying last week that Shooter was finished, be so grovelling last night? It was either a truly magnanamous display of humility from Brian Coleman or Mark Shooter has done a deal. We can but speculate.

On another Coleman related matter, it seems that Mr Toad has been caught red handed double dipping his expenses - read all about it here -

http://colemansgottogo.blogspot.com/2010/09/brian-colemans-expenses-mistake.html

Whatever one thinks of Coleman, you have to admire his sense of self preservation. I suspect that if a nuclear bomb blew up Totteridge all that would be left alive would be the cockroaches and Brian Coleman. Sadly I suspect that his behaviour indicates a less happy future for Lynne Hillan. My Labour friend suggested that the only way to really be shot of Coleman is a wooden stake through the heart.